Pipe wrench



F. L. SCOTT PIPE WRENCH July 7, 1925. 1,544,779

Filed April 17, 1922 v plied to like i mourn I. soo'r'r, or nous'ron,

Patented July 7, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATE T- oracle.

PIPE WRENCH.

Application fled April 11, 1922. mm In. 4.03:.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FLOYD L. Soon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Houston, Harris County, Texas have mvented a certain new and usefuf ment in Pipe Wrenches, of wlnch the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled 1n the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an im rovement in pipe wrenches ordinarily use in handling pipe during the operatlon of well drilling. The improvement consists 1n an efficient means of supporting the wrench n the derrick in such manner that the position of the wrench may be easily reversed.

The object of the invention is to, provide a means of suspending a wrench within the derrick so that the sand wrench may reversed in position so as to operate in either direction without unnecessary amount ofi manipulation.

Another object is to provide a suspending means for a pipe wrench which is strong and rugged in construction and which is not in the way of the operator while the wrench is in use.

Referring to the drawings herewith, wherein like numerals of reference are apparts throughout the several views; Fi '1 1s a top plan view of a pipe wrench w ereon my improvement is emloyed; Fig. 2 is a transverse section 'on the iine 22 of Fi 1; Fig. 3 is a view similar to that of Fig. 1, with the wrench in reversed position and Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

In the ordinary type of pipe wrench now customarily employed in handling the pipe in well drilling, the jaws are so arranged as to grip the pipe only when rotated 1n one direction. If it is desired to rotate the pipe in the opposite direction, the wrench must be reversed or turned upside down, so that the jaws will properly engage the pipe in the reverse motion. This ty e of wrench is necessarily very heavy to o tain SlllfiClBIlt strength and must therefore be suspended in the derrick.

With the ordinary means of suspending the wrench this reversing of the position of thewrench cannot be readily accomplished and it is therefore usual to employ this type of wrench or Improvetongs for working in one direction only.

I have devised a type of suspending means for a pipe wrench which allows the wrench to be very uickly and easily reversed in position. 11 the drawings I have shown my invention applied to a pipe wrench having a handle 5, the forward e d of which is bent laterally and formed with an opening to receive a in 6, provi a pivot for a wrench jaw to the other end of which a second jaw 8 is pivotally secured by means of a in 9. The aw 8 has its forward end hoo ed, as shown at 10, for engagement with a yoke or: latch member 11. bald latch member is in theshape of a link having an o ening 23 therethrough to receive the hoo ed end of the jaw 8. A handle 13 is provided on the jaw 8 to facilitatethe handling thereof and the handle 14 on the link or latch member 11 accomplishes the same purpose in regard to the latch. The latch is pivoted about centrally with the line of the handle by means of a pin 12. Each of the jaws is provided on its gnpp' face with a transverse tooth 15, by means 0 which said jaw may most eflicientlyen the ipe. In this type of wrench it will be 0 vious that when the pipe has been gripped by the two jaws 7 and 8 and the yoke or latch member has been engaged with the hook 10 upon the jaw 8, the movement of the handle in a counter-clockwise tighten both of the jaws against the i by means of the offset arran ement of th e attachment of the jaw 7 an the latch 11 with the handle. A movement of the bandle in the o posite direction will only serve to loosen t e jaws and release the pipe. Hence, with the wrench in a sition shown in Fig. 1, the pipe can only rotated in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed from above.

In order that the wrench may be turned the other side up and thrown into position shown in Fig. 3, the novel siis ending device constituting my invention has been devised. On the side of the head of the handle away from the pivot pin 12 of the latch I have formed a securing means for the suspending rod 16. This attaching means comrises a bracket formed on theside of the andle and extending away therefrom and direction as seen in Fig. -.1, will serve to a formed into two spaced lugs or cars 17 between which may be received the lower end of the suspending rod 16. To engage this rod a transverse pin 18 connecting with the lugs 17 serves as a pivotal, attaching support. On each side of the Wrench handle the attaching bracket is extended laterally and formed into posts 19 and 20 having hooked ends to engage with a link 21 on the i rod 16. The upper end of the suspending rod 16 is recurved to form an attaching eye 22 for a cable.

In the operation of mydevice the p1pe is received between the jaws of the wrench and the jaws latched into sition. The link 21, which is slidable on t e rod 16, is engaged over the post 19 in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The link 21 is of such length as to cause the rod 16 to set at an angle to the upper face of the wrench as shown in Fig. 2. This brings the upper end 22 thereof a proximately over the center of gravity of t 'e wrench and the tendency of the wrench will then be to hang in a horizontal position. When the wrench has been operated with this form of support, and it becomes desirable to rotate the pipe in an opposite direction, the link 21 may be released from the post 19 by raising upwardl on the handle 14, thus swinging the wrenc on the pivot formed by the pin 18 until the link 21 is loosened so that it may be moved away from the hooked end of the post 19. The wrench will then drop downwardly and may be swung up on the opposite side of the rod 16 into the position shown in Fig.

4. The link 21 may then be engaged over.

- the opposite hook 20 as shown in that figure, and the wrench will again be supported in horizontal position with the upper end of the rod 16 approximately over the center of gravity of the wrench in this position. The wrench may then be applied to the pipe and the pipe rotated in a direction the reverse to that accomplished with the wrench in the first position.

' The advantages of this suspending means lie largely in the fact that the suspending attachment does not interfere with the efficient operating of the wrench in use and will sustain the wrench in horizontal position at all times. The process of reversin the wrenchso that the pipe may be turned in an opposite direction may be very quickly and easily performed and without any danger of in ury. 1

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

. positely extending posts having hoo ed '1. In a pipe wrench comprising a handle and pipe engaging jaws thereon opening at one side of said handle, the combination of a suspending meanscomprisingan attaching p1n secured on the side of said handle opposite the opening portion of said jaws, a supporting rod pivotall secured to said pin, and means to detacha 1y hold said rod at an angle to the upper side of the said wrench so as to bring t e upper end of the said rod approximatel over the center of gravity of said wrenc 2. In a pipe wrench comprising a handle and pipe-engaging jaws thereon, the combination of a suspending means comprising a rigid rod pivotally secured at one side of said handle, a rod-engaging means on said handle, and means on said rod cooperating therewith to hold said rod at an angle to the side of said wrench to bring the upper end of said rod approximately over the center of gravity of said wrench.

3. In a pipe wrench, a handle, a flattened head thereon, jaws pivoted to said head, a supporting means on one edge of said head comprising a lateral attaching in, op-

ends thereon, a rigid suspending rod pivoted to said pin, and a link slidable on said rod and adapted to engage either of said posts to hold said rod at an angle to the flattened head in the manner described.

4. In a pipe wrench, a handle, pipe-engaging jaws thereon, a lateral plate on said handle adjacent said jaws, a rigid supporting rod pivoted to said plate, attaching posts extending in opposite directions 'approximately vertically from said plate, and means to secure said rod detachably to eitherof said posts to bring the upper end of said rod approximately over the center of gravity of said wrench.

5. In a pipe wrench, a rigid supportin rod secured pivotally to one side thereo posts on said wrench extending laterally therefrom, and a detachable connection between said rod and said posts whereby said wrench may be supported with either side presented upwardly as desired.

In a pipe wrench, a rigid supporting i pivotally atrod, a wrench handle, means taching said rod to said handle, and additional means co-operating with said rod to detachably retain said wrench with either side presented upwardl as desired.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature, this the, 12th day of April, A. D.,

a FLOYD L. SCOTT. 

